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Difficulty: MediumWeb Browser Security and Pop-Up/Redirect Troubleshooting

A help desk analyst is troubleshooting a user's workstation where launching the web browser via its desktop shortcut consistently opens an unfamiliar advertising web page alongside the corporate homepage. The analyst verifies that the browser's startup settings and default search engine are configured correctly, and no suspicious browser extensions are installed. Which of the following should the technician inspect NEXT to resolve the persistent redirection?

  1. The Target field in the desktop shortcut properties for the web browserAnswer
  2. B
    The stored web credentials in Windows Credential Manager
  3. C
    The temporary internet files and browser cookies
  4. D
    The Windows Event Viewer Security log for unauthorized logon attempts

Answer

The technician should inspect the Target field in the desktop shortcut properties for the web browser.
Inspecting the Target field in the desktop shortcut properties addresses shortcut hijacking, a common redirection technique where malicious software appends a URL to the browser executable command line. Because internal browser configurations and extensions were verified as clean, the launch parameter outside the browser is the primary root cause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the troubleshooting context and prior findings.
Internal browser startup settings, default search engines, and browser add-ons/extensions have already been verified as clean.
Eliminating internal browser configuration rules out standard homepage hijacking and rogue extensions.
2
Identify potential external launch vectors for browser redirection.
Browser shortcuts on the desktop or taskbar can have additional command-line arguments added to their target paths (e.g., chrome.exe http://malicious-site.com).
When the user clicks the modified shortcut, the OS passes the appended URL directly to the browser executable upon launch.
3
Select the appropriate inspection and remediation action.
Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, and inspect the Target string to remove any appended URLs.
Cleaning the shortcut path restores normal browser launching behavior.

Key Concept

Browser Shortcut Target Hijacking Remediation
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Web Browser Security and Pop-Up/Redirect Troubleshooting

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